5 Steps to Connect External Storage Drive to iPhone/iPad

We save our data in different storage devices. It provides a convenient way to carry data with you whenever you required.

Have you ever need to access external storage devices on your iPhone or iPad?

You can now access the data stored in an external storage drive to your iPhone or iPad in just 5 easy steps. The Files app in your iPhone or iPad help you to access the data stored in external hard drive. You need the right adapter to connect the external storage drive to your iPhone or iPad. The adapter should able to connect any form of external storage drives such as SD card, USB drive, Portable Harddisk, or any other devices.

This article gives you an idea about how you can connect the SD Card, USB drive, Portable Harddisk, or any external drive to your iPhone or iPad.

5 Steps to Connect External Storage Drive to iPad & iPhone

Let’s see how we can connect any external storage drive to the iPhone or iPad in detail.

1. Go to your iPhone or iPad and Open “Files” app.
2. Now using an appropriate adapter connect the external storage drive to iPhone or iPad.
3. If you are not on the primary screen of the “Files” app, then tap on the “Browse” button at the end of the screen.
4. You will see the connected drive name on the left side of the screen under the head “Locations”.
5. Tap on the external storage drive connected to access the data on your iPhone or iPad.

The beauty of this feature is you can access the external drive on your iPhone or iPad as you access it in PC. It allows you to access any data stored in the drive utilizing the Files app. You can save, delete, move, rename, cut, copy, and all that functions which Files app allows. All changes to file is applicable unless the external storage drive is unlocked. It becomes easy if you are aware of all the uses of the Files app.

Files app supports a type of popular file formats are APFS, ExFAT, FAT32, and HSF+. As long as your external drive supports this format, you can continue.

Adapters required to connect with different models of iPhone or iPad

The different adapters required to attach the external drive to the iPhone or iPad. It depends upon what kind of iPhone or iPad models you own and types of external drive used. Let’s see different adapters used for connecting the external drive to the iPhone or iPad.

Types of Adapters to connect iPhone or iPad with External Storage Drive

• Lightning to USB Camera Adapter – iPhone, iPad, iPad Air, iPad mini, older iPad Pro, to connect to USB-A
• USB-C drive to iPad Pro can connect directly without any adapter
• Lightning to USB-3 Adapter – iPhone, iPad, iPad Air, iPad mini, older iPad Pro, to connect to USB-C
• USB-C to SD Card Reader – iPad Pro to connect SD Card
• USB-C to USB-A Adapter – iPad Pro to connect USB
• Lightning to SD Card Adapter – iPhone, iPad, iPad Air, iPad mini, older iPad Pro to connect to SD card readers

Which adapter you require is depends upon the models of iPhone or iPad models you use and types of the external drive you use to connect. If you have an iPad or iPhone with a lightning port, then you must use a lightning adapter. The same way devices with USB-C port requires a USB-C adapter.

This feature supported in iOS 13 and later iPhone OS. We recommend updating your iPhone with iOS 13 or the latest OS for accessing the external drive. Likewise, iPad OS 13 or the latest OS updated to access any external drive to your iPad. It won’t work in any OS before iOS 13 or iPad OS 13.

You can also connect the SMB servers to your iPhone or iPad updated with the latest OS using the Files app.

Don’t get stuck when you need to access the external storage drive to iPhone or iPad. Think about 5 steps guide to connect your external storage drive to iPhone or iPad.

Let us know your experience of using this feature on your iPhone or iPad by commenting down below.